Many famous figures, including actors Bruce Willis, Robin Williams, Rita Hayworth, former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, US President Ronald Reagan, and civil rights icon Rosa Parks, have lived with or been diagnosed with dementia, raising awareness for the condition that affects memory, thinking, and social abilities, with types like Alzheimer's, Lewy Body, and Frontotemporal dementia.
Here's a list of just a few of the more well-known people with Alzheimer's or another kind of dementia.
The average life expectancy of people diagnosed with dementia ranges from 9 years at age 60 to 4.5 years at age 85 for women and from 6.5 to just over 2 years, respectively, in men, finds a systematic review of the latest evidence in The BMJ today.
One of the most famous people to receive a dementia diagnosis in recent years was Bruce Willis. On the 16th of February 2023, it was announced by his family that the Die-Hard actor had an official diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, a relatively rare form of the condition.
Donepezil (also known as Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Reminyl) are used to treat the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Donepezil is also used to treat more severe Alzheimer's disease.
Vitamin D supplements are linked to a significant reduction in dementia risk, with a major study showing users had a 40% lower incidence of developing dementia compared to non-users, particularly benefiting older adults, with even greater effects seen in women and those without existing cognitive issues. This reduction highlights Vitamin D's role in brain health, possibly by clearing amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's.
Some blood pressure medicines—especially older ones like certain beta blockers and centrally acting agents (for example, reserpine)—have been linked to memory loss, though not everyone experiences this side effect.
In February 2021, Bennett revealed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016.
The 10 warning signs of dementia include memory loss, difficulty with familiar tasks, confusion about time/place, trouble with language, poor judgment, misplacing things, personality changes, loss of initiative, and problems with visual/spatial skills, requiring professional assessment to distinguish from normal aging.
A few people with Alzheimer's live for longer, sometimes for 15 or even 20 years. Vascular dementia – around five years.
Remaining at home but with extra support can be a good option for some people with dementia. It allows them to stay in a place that feels familiar and safe to them. It is important to make sure that the person can remain safe and well and get the support they need at home.
At approximately the same point in the evolution of AD, but generally just a little later in the temporal sequence, AD persons lose the ability to bathe without assistance (stage 6b).
When someone gets the diagnosis of dementia, a cure is only very rarely possible (see p2 About Reversible Dementias). In the current issue of Neurology, Sacks and Shulman1 report one of these rare cases of a reversal of dementia involving a patient on steroid medication.
TV presenter Fiona Phillips was only 60 when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. At the link in the comments, she and her husband, Martin Frizell, bravely share how her life has changed in the past three years and what the future looks like.
The number one cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, responsible for 60-80% of cases, characterized by brain plaques (beta-amyloid protein) and tangles (tau protein) that damage nerve cells, leading to progressive memory and cognitive decline, though vascular dementia from blood vessel damage is also a significant factor.
Sean Connery dies with dementia. Celebrated Scottish actor Sir Sean Connery died at the age of 90, with dementia. He was best known for his portrayal of James Bond, being the first to bring the role to life and appearing in seven Bond movies in total.
The "2-finger test" for dementia involves an examiner showing a hand gesture (like interlocking index and middle fingers) and asking the patient to copy it, testing motor skills, visual memory, and coordination, as difficulties can signal early cognitive decline, but it's a screening tool, not a definitive diagnosis, prompting further medical evaluation. Other related tests include finger-tapping and finger-to-nose, looking for hesitation or misjudgment in movement.
Smoking, low physical activity, and a poor diet are all lifestyle and environmental influences that have been linked to rapid dementia decline. Physical activity promotes cardiovascular health, which in turn improves brain function. Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle may experience faster cognitive decline.
Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a neurological disorder that impacts memory, behavior, and language skills. His family has shared that the disease has advanced to the extent that he no longer clearly recalls his past, including his time as a well-known actor.
Life expectancy with dementia varies greatly but averages a few years to over a decade, often 4 to 8 years for Alzheimer's, depending heavily on age at diagnosis (younger means longer), type (Alzheimer's generally longer than Vascular), and other health conditions, with newer research showing averages like 5.1 years for women and 4.3 for men from diagnosis, but with wide ranges from shorter for older adults to longer for some.
There's no certain way to prevent all types of dementia, as researchers are still investigating how the condition develops. However, there's good evidence that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce your risk of developing dementia when you're older.
5 of the worst blood pressure medications
The symptoms of sundowning typically occur between the hours of 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. and may be worse during the fall and winter months when the daylight hours are shorter. As a caregiver, some signs to look out for include: Signs of fatigue or unmet needs, pain or discomfort. Agitation, anger or irritability.
Asking the same questions often. Forgetting common words when speaking. Mixing up words — saying the word "bed" instead of the word "table," for example. Taking longer to complete familiar tasks, such as following a recipe.